10 Friday, August 26, 2016 brooklintowncrier.com Communication All Around Our Councillor's Report by Rhonda Mulcahy North Ward Councillor, Town of Whitby mulcahyr@whitby.ca Ward One: Communication All Around I've just returned from the AMO (Association of Municipalities of Ontario) Convention in Windsor. Whitby sent five council members plus two staff. We divided and conquered to try to place a body in every talk throughout the four days. I and over 500 councillors and mayors from across the province had opportunities to learn and share. It was an eye opener for me on many topics. We heard about welcoming newcomers, risk management, policing, the impact of marijuana legalization on our municipalities, green initiatives, aging population chal- lenges, and energy management, to name a few. We also heard from Premier Kathleen Wynne, Patrick Brown and Andrea Horwath. As well, 21 cabinet ministers and many MPPs attended. Since most of what we do as a municipality comes under provincial jurisdiction, it was important to attend. Many Ontario communities face challenges quite different than ours, although there are communities in the Greater Golden Horseshoe that are under the same stresses we face. As I'm settling into this role, it's becoming clear that the single biggest challenge we face is growth and how we handle the densities mandated by the province. This is not uncommon in one of the faster growing areas of the GTA. As your Ward Councillor, I have already had several new developments cross my desk which address higher density in-fill, the filling in with higher density buildings along major routes and in vacant lots. This begins to happen after the major subdivisions are completed. The province provides us projections to hit by certain dates to address growth and density by having "x" numbers of people per hectare. It's up to us to figure out how to achieve it. If we don't have higher densities in our in-fill, we won't reach their numbers. These are some of the tougher decisions I face. I have to speak both as your Councillor and as a member of Council to address the province's density requirements. The Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) densities continue to rise. While developers are presenting us with plans that provide what is needed, the concern is whether or not it's what the neighbourhood wants. Whenever possible, I've asked developers to reach out to those in the area. I'm doing this to open a dialogue. So far, they have been amenable as I believe they want to bring plans before council that have already addressed residents' concerns. I'll be at any public meetings to listen to yours. I'm also sounding a bit "like a broken record" when I continue to ask for senior housing. I haven't yet been told no. But I haven't received a yes either. It's still early. And I'm persistent. Further to this, as long as I have this handy Ward column, I want communication in the other direction. I've received many emails from the community about issues. But I'd like to host a regular coffee shop meet-up where you can voice your concerns in person without having to speak to a large group. I'm here to listen and speak on your behalf at council. If you are interested in this, please email me at mulcahyr@whitby.ca with the subject line: Ward One Email List and include your name, address and phone number. I will let you know the date and time for the first informal meet-up. I will also add you to my email list which I'll use to keep constituents informed on all things Ward One (between Brooklin Town Crier columns of course!). Distracted Driving Campaign in Whitby A four-day traffic safety blitz targeting distracted drivers in Whitby has resulted in 75 tickets being issued. From August 15 to 18, 2016, officers in Central West Division targeted intersections throughout Whitby enforcing Distracted Driving laws. A total of 75 tickets were handed out for using a hand-held communication device. In one incident, a 40-year-old female from Oshawa received two tickets after an officer pulled beside her on Taunton Road East. Both were stopped for a red light when the female looked at her phone. She then proceeded into the intersection before the light turned green while still looking at her phone. The officer immediately pulled her over and charged her with Drive-Hand Held Communications Device and Red Light - Proceed Before Green. Officers were also alarmed by the number of drivers who were ticketed and had children on board. DRPS reminds motorists to keep your eyes on the road. Using your cell phone while driving will result in a $490 fine and the loss of three demerit points. Do your part to keep our roadways safe. For details about DRPS enforcement activities, contact S/Sgt. Glenn Courneyea of the Traffic Services Branch at 1-888-579-1520 ext. 3508.